Faktabaari facilitated a discussion (Chatham House) with the EDMO hub NORDIS, with 24 representatives of independent disinformation expert organizations in US and Europe. Here are the key takeaways.
Similarities
- Fragmentation of the communication environment: “Bespoke realities”, not shared truths; especially in the US, but indications also in Europe. Communities discuss in closed groups, not in the public sphere.
- Practical and discursive voter suppression: Distrust in the electoral process. This is evident in disinformation campaigns in the US and around the EU elections in 2024.
Urgent challenges
- Focusing on disinformation comprehensively, beyond elections: Recurring themes and topics, same bad actors.
- Understanding the threats posed by some political and other elites to democracy using disinformation.
- Understanding more about the demand side of disinformation and reaching out to marginalized communities. This is especially true in Europe for small countries and language groups. In the US, this means underserved communities.
Opportunities and action points
- Agreement among traditional media and media freedom organizations on a shared visual language to signal what is fake.
- Multistakeholderism and cross-border collaboration. EDMO’s successes in tackling disinformation around the EU elections with fact-checkers, researchers, and other experts should be institutionalized, resourced, and funded accordingly; the need to expand to Transatlantic exchanges beyond election; follow-up event latest in January.
- Utilizing the opportunities brought by the EU regulation regarding access to dialogues and data with the platforms.
- Gathering data and cases about the US elections as observers in the EU.
Special thanks to a member of the EDMO Advisory Board, for the summary notes. A comprehensive report with additional insights and resources will be published on 17 November 2024 at www.nordishub.eu.
- Key Takeaways (pdf)
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